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Diving overview:
- According to a Feb. 20 Health and Productivity report, workers had increased rates of anxiety and depression symptoms when fully remote (40%) or hybrid (38%) compared to those who worked in-person (35%). the Integrated Benefits Institute, a non-profit research organization.
- While the number of individuals using a mental health prescription rose from 20% to 22% and the unmet need for counseling rose from 12% to 14%, overall symptoms of anxiety or depression fell from 40% to 35% from July 2021 to August 2022. , the report found.
- “This report is a thorough examination of a widespread mental health problem – the experience of symptoms of anxiety and depression. These experiences can range from mild to severe and are an important cause of presenteeism, sickness absence and disability,” IBI research director. Candace Nelson said in a press release. “This research was conducted to provide employers with comprehensive and up-to-date facts to better target mental health programs and benefits.”
Diving statistics:
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health has become an increasingly important topic for employers.
This includes employers such as colleges and universities whose employees have continued to be interested in remote work after the stay-at-home phase of the pandemic has ended. College employees who say they are likely to look for new jobs often look to work remotely, according to the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources, or CUPA-HR. And consultancy Grant Thornton found that 56% of employees with higher education prefer to go to the office for less than four days every two weeks.
According to a report by marketing platform Semrush, Google searches for mental health services and workplace mental health centers increased by 1,300% from February 2020 to February 2022. And searches for “how to claim mental health day” soared by 1,000% over the same period.
This issue becomes particularly acute for remote workers who may not have access to local mental health services. Experts say employers may need to make more of an effort to stay in touch with remote workers to better detect potential mental health issues.
Sixty-four percent of executives say telecommuting negatively affects their employees’ mental health, up from 55% the previous year, according to an October 2022 survey by RSM US and the US Chamber of Commerce. Seventy-three percent said workers feel isolated , up from 68% in 2021.
